Halo setting - LM or someone else?

[Phoenix]

I''m seriously considering halo''ing my 3.02ct solitaire, after my accident with my RHR, not least because my solitaire, being of VS2 clarity, also has a feather on the girdle too (though not as big as the feather on my SI1 stone prior to the accident).

I have a few questions:

1) I''d like something delicate, something like the HW micropave, but with RB instead of cushion. Should I send it to LM or someone else? I know LM''s is likely to be more expensive. Would it be worthwhile?

2) how much (ballpark figure) do you think it''s going to cost me?

3) if I send it to LM, how long does it take for him to do the work; and

4) has anyone of you shipped the stone from overseas, particularly from Asia and how long did that take (exclg the time the stone was in jeweller''s/LM''s possession) to send and receive it back and forth?


Thanks very much.

 

[iheartscience]

Date: 2/9/2008 12:21:44 AM
Author:Phoenix
I''m seriously considering halo''ing my 3.02ct solitaire, after my accident with my RHR, not least because my solitaire, being of VS2 clarity, also has a feather on the girdle too (though not as big as the feather on my SI1 stone prior to the accident).

I have a few questions:

1) I''d like something delicate, something like the HW micropave, but with RB instead of cushion. Should I send it to LM or someone else? I know LM''s is likely to be more expensive. Would it be worthwhile?

2) how much (ballpark figure) do you think it''s going to cost me?

3) if I send it to LM, how long does it take for him to do the work; and

4) has anyone of you shipped the stone from overseas, particularly from Asia and how long did that take (exclg the time the stone was in jeweller''s/LM''s possession) to send and receive it back and forth?

Thanks very much.

1. Well I''d definitely go for a Leon if I could! His work is just sooo gorgeous, I really think it''s worth the money.

2. I''ve heard his pave settings, depending on the intricacy, go for around $4-5000. I''ve never gotten a quote myself, so that''s just hearsay from PS!

3 and 4. I don''t know!

Please keep us posted! I''m sure whatever you end up with will be gorgeous! How could it not, with your beautiful diamond?!

 

[door knob solitaire]

I''m sorry...IS THERE SOMEONE ELSE???

Will it be worthwhile...?? YES! A thousand times yes. Have you spent time on other sites and then gone back to Leon''s? Each one of Leon''s pieces was a custom hand designed piece. Go back and look at the scale ratio of pave to stone size. Look how the prongs are set...there is never anything less than perfect. I haven''t found one of his that I was scratching my head about the design. Never too top heavy or too big of prongs...or the wrong size pave. Everything looks like it should. Never forced...effortless. You can''t just call anyone for that.

If I had the size stone you have...I wouldn''t send it to be custom-ed by any one else. And when you mention the details...delicate, pave, HW like...you really have no choice. Many of those on his site are 5 or more carats. He gets the commission of many a $$$ stone. The end result, as his site claims...is art. The difference is art.

You should just call him. He may be busy when you call, but a second call in a hour or two and you will get him. No one can tell you how much your ring will be...but if there were no pave and just a simple basket head...it may be around $1900 to $2400-that is no pave. You could ask others what their ring ran, but you won''t know for sure until your specifics are in front of him.

Call the man. He will put your questions to rest.

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 2/9/2008 12:31:46 AM
Author: thing2of2

Date: 2/9/2008 12:21:44 AM
Author:Phoenix
I''m seriously considering halo''ing my 3.02ct solitaire, after my accident with my RHR, not least because my solitaire, being of VS2 clarity, also has a feather on the girdle too (though not as big as the feather on my SI1 stone prior to the accident).

I have a few questions:

1) I''d like something delicate, something like the HW micropave, but with RB instead of cushion. Should I send it to LM or someone else? I know LM''s is likely to be more expensive. Would it be worthwhile?

2) how much (ballpark figure) do you think it''s going to cost me?

3) if I send it to LM, how long does it take for him to do the work; and

4) has anyone of you shipped the stone from overseas, particularly from Asia and how long did that take (exclg the time the stone was in jeweller''s/LM''s possession) to send and receive it back and forth?

Thanks very much.

1. Well I''d definitely go for a Leon if I could! His work is just sooo gorgeous, I really think it''s worth the money.

2. I''ve heard his pave settings, depending on the intricacy, go for around $4-5000. I''ve never gotten a quote myself, so that''s just hearsay from PS!

3 and 4. I don''t know!

Please keep us posted! I''m sure whatever you end up with will be gorgeous! How could it not, with your beautiful diamond?!

Thanks, Thing2of2.

Yes, I''m leaning towards LM though I believe Mark T''s micropave rings are quite nice too.

I know LM is expensive. I was hoping it''d be a bit less since I only want tiny little micropave diamonds. I will call him next week and see what he says.

 

[Allison D.]

Phoenix, most of the cost in going pave/micropave is labor. I know you''re hoping that the costs will be contained by wanting only "tiny stones", but also know that smaller stones take more precision, etc, to set properly.

One think I''d consider very strongly before you make a final decision is this: pave/micropave is absolutely beautiful, but it''s not maintenance free. Many of the gals with pave/micropave stones have lost stones here and there, and that''s part and parcel of having a micropave setting.

If that''s really what you want, I''d look to see if you have a craftsman available to you in your area. It could be quite frustrating and costly for you to be shipping the ring between Asia and U.S. to do the upkeep on it.

 

[CrookedRock]

Having spoken to Leon at length about designing my ring, I can tell you that he will answer all your questions. My advice is to call first thing in the am before he gets rolling with his day. As far as price goes, I have heard about the same from other PS''er''s, in the $5,000 range. I really didn''t blink an eye at this, as it sounded reasonable. Then yesterday I was browsing the Pearlmans site, as many here do

, and stated noticing prices for settings in the $10k to $15k range, and when you think about it like that, I think Leon is a steal! (Relatively speaking) But then again I had my heart set on something for 3 years, and when I found Leon I changed my whole ring idea, even the stone shape! So I may be a little biased! LOL!

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 2/9/2008 10:17:35 AM
Author: Allison D.
Phoenix, most of the cost in going pave/micropave is labor. I know you're hoping that the costs will be contained by wanting only 'tiny stones', but also know that smaller stones take more precision, etc, to set properly.

One think I'd consider very strongly before you make a final decision is this: pave/micropave is absolutely beautiful, but it's not maintenance free. Many of the gals with pave/micropave stones have lost stones here and there, and that's part and parcel of having a micropave setting.

If that's really what you want, I'd look to see if you have a craftsman available to you in your area. It could be quite frustrating and costly for you to be shipping the ring between Asia and U.S. to do the upkeep on it.

Thank you for that, Al.

I was worried someone would say that, and no I wouldn't want to keep shipping the ring between Asia and the US to do the upkeep. I actually did have one of my diamonds on one of my eternity bands come loose (actually, I'd lost it and didn't even realise it until I looked down at the ring one time and realised there was one little gap in the ring!

).

What do you suggest I should do then to protect my feather from turning into a full blown crack every time I hit my hand against something as I am sure I'm bound to do time and time again? I guess the best thing would be to bezel it but bezelling a 3ct would be overkill (?!).

Thank you for that professional and honest opinion. I am back to square one though.

Btw, congratulations on yr new job. WTG, Alj

.

 

[Phoenix]

Would anyone else like to recommend how else I could protect my diamond from damage?

Do you think that if I get LM to do the halo setting, I can get someone else to put the stones back if they do become loose? How easy or difficult would this be?

Pave owners, how often would you say yr stones come loose? and is there any special treatment or way of taking care of yr ring to lessen the incidence? I still think a stone coming loose is less of a worry than the risk of the 3 carater chipping or cracking, as long as it doesn''t happen every month or every couple of month. What do you''all think?

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 2/9/2008 12:39:43 AM
Author: door knob solitaire
I''m sorry...IS THERE SOMEONE ELSE???

Will it be worthwhile...?? YES! A thousand times yes. Have you spent time on other sites and then gone back to Leon''s? Each one of Leon''s pieces was a custom hand designed piece. Go back and look at the scale ratio of pave to stone size. Look how the prongs are set...there is never anything less than perfect. I haven''t found one of his that I was scratching my head about the design. Never too top heavy or too big of prongs...or the wrong size pave. Everything looks like it should. Never forced...effortless. You can''t just call anyone for that.

If I had the size stone you have...I wouldn''t send it to be custom-ed by any one else. And when you mention the details...delicate, pave, HW like...you really have no choice. Many of those on his site are 5 or more carats. He gets the commission of many a $$$ stone. The end result, as his site claims...is art. The difference is art.

You should just call him. He may be busy when you call, but a second call in a hour or two and you will get him. No one can tell you how much your ring will be...but if there were no pave and just a simple basket head...it may be around $1900 to $2400-that is no pave. You could ask others what their ring ran, but you won''t know for sure until your specifics are in front of him.

Call the man. He will put your questions to rest.

Ha ha, DKS, you posts always make me laugh!!

I guess what I was really asking was: Is the extra money worth differential in quality between a LM and another''s? and I guess the answer is yes.

But Alison brought up a very good point. I''d like to hear what the others, esp.pave owners say.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Lien, you might also want to consider Maytal Hannah who is in CA and therefore a little closer to you! I believe she does the same quality of work. You would just have to have a local jeweler do your maintenance. It would not be worth the time, trouble, and expense to send it back and forth for a lost melee.

That said, you have a VS2 stone and it is extremely unlikely any feather would cause a crack in your stone. We all try to be careful with our rings, but inevitably, we'll sometimes hit them on something. Rarely will there be damage. That is really what insurance is for. Wear the jewelry and enjoy it and replace it if it is lost or damaged.

If you love the look of a halo and want one for that reason, then fine. But I do not think it would be worth it to do it just to protect the stone as long as it is insured.

 

[Allison D.]

Gee, it's hard to imagine how bezelling it could be any more 'overkill' than a halo! LOL

Honestly, I think if you were to bezel it and have the bezel done in milligrain, THAT would be gorgeous, and it would look a lot more delicate than a plain bezel. I think it would soften the look of the bezel so your stone is still the spotlight attraction.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Just wanted to add that you might get quotes from Maytal and Leon. But I do not have a perception that Leon is overpriced at all for the level of work he does. If you paid much less, you''d get lower quality.

 

[door knob solitaire]

I agree Phoenix... Allison''s post was far more insightful and logical. I don''t have a pave piece...but I do understand it is something that you may constantly need a professional for service. She has a good point that you should really consider. Pave is a marriage and commitment you may need to invest more time in. So as she suggests, a well thought out plan is the best way to go about it.

In my experience in contacting Leon, his prices are much cheaper than a similar stock piece from a well touted designer. Which doesn''t make a lot of sense to me. A designer already has the specks of the ring (you are ordering hk3456 in a size 5)...they alter the head to accommodate your stone.

Then you have leon-he starts with nothing except his blank palatte/creativity...and begins to build the ring around your stone from the very first step. Some things don''t make sense. But one thing is for certain...that stone is going to make you very happy!

 

[chirp]

I don''t have a pave, but if I did I definitely would like it to be one of LM''s. everybody talks about his work and it is clear from the pictures on his site.
How about asking around, your friends, maybe they have a good jeweller who is good at pave.
Or, would a holiday visit+LM be too pricey? two birds with one stone?
I also like the idea of a bezel with milgrain, or some sort of workmanship, (art deco, filigree etc.) some celebrities have such bezel settings.
Or, mabe double claws where you have the feather? but I''ve also heard that metal can sometimes cause problem of cracking, too, so not sure...

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 2/9/2008 11:05:15 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
Lien, you might also want to consider Maytal Hannah who is in CA and therefore a little closer to you! I believe she does the same quality of work. You would just have to have a local jeweler do your maintenance. It would not be worth the time, trouble, and expense to send it back and forth for a lost melee.

That said, you have a VS2 stone and it is extremely unlikely any feather would cause a crack in your stone. We all try to be careful with our rings, but inevitably, we'll sometimes hit them on something. Rarely will there be damage. That is really what insurance is for. Wear the jewelry and enjoy it and replace it if it is lost or damaged.

If you love the look of a halo and want one for that reason, then fine. But I do not think it would be worth it to do it just to protect the stone as long as it is insured.

DS,

Thanks for yr posts. I've checked out Maytal. Her pieces are quite beautiful too.

I will email both of them and say what they say (i'd rather do that first - due to the time difference, and call them once i've made up my mind who to go with). I know that it's a VS2 stone and is less likely prone to damage than an SI stone, but the darn feather is right there on the girdle (if I'd known about the durability issue with feathers before hand, for sure I wouldn't have chosen a stone with feather), and I am extremely clumsy. I know I have insurance but I can't imagine the hassle I'd have to go through to claim that amount of money from the insurance company. You know what they're like, they're quick to take your money but very slow and reluctant to pay out. No offence to anyone who works for an insurance company (I used to work for one). Sure I know they have to do their due diligence too, but I'd rather not have to go through the hassle. Besides, there's no guarantee they'd pay up the full amount if I ever cracked this one, or just the difference betwen the replacement value and the reduced value. I wouldn't particularly want to wear this fabulous stone, knowing there's a crack in it. It's a bad enough feeling with the cheaper stone. It's just me, I guess.

I do appreciate your words though and essentially you're right, and that is the main reason I have insurance - for peace of mind, just in case.

I do absolutely love the micropavee cushion a la HW, but not sure it 'd work with a RB. I've always thought RB can "stand" on its own, as a solitaire, you know it speaks for itself without the added effect of a halo. However, I'm not opposed to micropaving a RB (obviously since I'm considering having it done, he he

) but haven't seen one in real life so just not sure what the look/ effect would be like, is all. I remember seeing the HW in their shop on Bond Street, London and remember being soooo in love with it. It's so elegant and yet understated, y'know?! Kind of like how I'd describe myself, he he

(obviously I'm day dreaming here, LOL!!). So, no, I wouldn't do the halo just for protection purposes. I have been pondering it for a while, but didn't think my RB really needed it, 'til now since there's an additional reason for doing it. Not sure if I am making a lot of sense!?

 

[rainydaze]

hi phoenix! i see by your last post you want the halo not just for protection but also because you love the look, so i''m not sure this suggestion will be of interest to you but i''ll throw it out there anyway .... how about a gorgeous six-prong such as the sunburst, flame or torchiere from mark morrell? with six prongs you might bet more protection for your diamond, and you could have the feather hidden beneath a prong (if that helps protect the diamond, not sure). then you would not have the maintenance issues of the pave. a halo on a 3ct would certainly be stunning, but i imagine it could stand on its own and still be a stunner!

i also wanted to add that i think leon''s prices are extremely reasonable when you consider what he does, how he does it, and the quality of his work. i''ve actually been surprised his prices aren''t considerably higher! if affording it is the issue, well that''s one thing, but if you are concerned about value, there is no question in my mind you will get your money''s worth and then some!